Brett Favre solicited welfare money from the poorest state in the nation and it’s time to pay up

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Greater than two years after we discovered of Brett Favre’s involvement in one of the gorgeous embezzlement scandals in Mississippi historical past, he’s now one in every of 38 defendants accused of misusing welfare funds supposed to alleviate poverty in essentially the most impoverished state within the nation. 

Favre’s function within the scheme is tied to his relationship with Nancy New, a nonprofit director who had entry to tens of millions in welfare funds, and John Davis, the disgraced former director of the Mississippi Division of Human Companies (MDHS) who allotted the cash within the first place —together with $68 million in federal welfare cash from the Non permanent Help for Needy Households (TANF) program. 

Although TANF funding ought to be used to supply significant assist for Mississippi’s low-income households, New’s nonprofit invested tens of millions into retired athletes’ pet tasks, together with at the least $8 million tied to Favre’s enterprise endeavors and a brand new athletic facility at his alma mater, the College of Southern Mississippi. 

Favre maintains he didn’t know any of that cash was funded by TANF {dollars}. What he and his defenders are lacking, nevertheless, is that his duty on this scenario isn’t about whether or not the cash got here from a selected federal grant. He solicited cash from an anti-poverty nonprofit funded by Mississippi’s welfare company. Nearly each federal greenback MDHS receives is meant to assist the state’s most weak individuals, not its most privileged, and it’s time to cease giving Favre a move for what he didn’t know and begin holding him accountable for what he did know. 

For starters, he knew he was paid $1.1 million by New’s nonprofit for occasion appearances and talking engagements he didn’t carry out (which he’s since repaid to MDHS). He knew that very same nonprofit allotted $5 million at his request towards constructing a brand new volleyball facility at Southern Miss, the place Favre’s daughter simply occurred to be a member of the crew. Hattiesburg is a university city with one of many highest poverty charges within the state, and as a substitute of utilizing sources to assist its poorest residents, MDHS put tens of millions towards making Favre appear to be a hometown hero coming by means of for his alma mater. 

He knew to return to Davis and New when searching for traders for Prevacus, a start-up drug firm specializing in concussion therapy. After investing $1 million of his personal cash and attempting (and failing) to get the NFL on board, Favre and his enterprise accomplice turned to Gov. Phil Bryant for assist getting Prevacus off the bottom rapidly. 

Two days after assembly with the governor, Favre despatched the next textual content to Prevacus founder Jake Vanlandingham, as reported by nonprofit information outlet Mississippi Immediately.

“Textual content Nancy (New) and embody me if you need and mainly ask her if she will help with traders, grants or every other method potential. She has sturdy connections and gave me 5 million for Vball facility by way of grant cash. Supply her no matter you are feeling like.”

After Vanlandingham linked with New, Favre made it clear he knew precisely how they may get cash for the start-up.

“I imagine if it’s potential she and John Davis would use federal grant cash for Prevacus.”

And identical to that, New and Davis dedicated $2.1 million in welfare cash to a mission that did nothing to alleviate Mississippi’s ongoing poverty disaster. (It’s price mentioning that of the $135 million in TANF funding Mississippi obtained in 2018, solely $7.3 million of that went towards direct money help for low-income households.)

Maybe most tellingly, Favre knew the challenges that confronted him when the governor changed Davis with a brand new MDHS director who began taking note of the place the cash was going.

“Nancy (New) stated (Christopher Freeze, the brand new MDHS director) ain’t our kind,” Favre texted Vanlandingham, as reported by Mississippi Immediately.

“F***,” Vanlandingham replied. “Properly we may have the governor to make him our kind.”

Not precisely the strongest case for somebody claiming complete ignorance.

As a substitute of proudly owning as much as it and utilizing what he knew to make clear one of the damaging public corruption instances in state historical past, he selected to evade reporters whereas choosing public fights with the state auditor who led the investigation.

Perhaps he didn’t work extra time to clear his title as a result of he’s used to enjoying the function of Mississippi’s chosen son. He’s Brett Favre, in spite of everything! The delight of Hancock County. The Golden Eagle with the golden arm. He’d by no means do something to harm the state he loves.

It’s simple to like Mississippi once you don’t must acknowledge what number of of its persons are struggling to maintain the lights on. You by no means must look within the eyes of a kid begging a cafeteria employee for seconds as a result of the cabinets are naked at house. You don’t have to inform a single mom she’s not entitled to child-care help till she sues her baby’s father for help and her solely decisions are to give up her job or depart her infants house alone so she will earn a paycheck.

It’s simple to like Mississippi when your Mississippi is a spot of privilege and alternative. 

It’s loads more durable when individuals like Favre profit from a long time of good-old-boy corruption whereas the state stays the worst place within the nation to be a mom or baby. First in toddler mortality, baby poverty and meals insecurity. Practically lifeless final in schooling, healthcare and nearly every thing else that issues. Welfare officers had entry to tens of millions of {dollars} to do a number of good for lots of people. As a substitute, they opted to be an ATM to one of many wealthiest Mississippians alive simply to have the ability to say, “Brett Favre is aware of who I’m.”

It doesn’t matter if Favre was by no means informed the cash he solicited was meant to assist Mississippi’s poorest households. There’s a motive he didn’t work with a distinct company. There’s a motive he bypassed the method of personal fundraising or recruiting outdoors traders. By means of Mississippi’s welfare system, he gained entry to cash nobody was watching and he adopted it till somebody lastly appeared up.

Everyone knows Favre gained’t battle to shake off the unfavorable publicity of this story. It would finally develop into a Wikipedia footnote and everybody will return to writing about his divisive podcast or newest endorsement deal. However he owes much more to the state of Mississippi than simply cash, specifically the essential respect of not ignoring the continuing crises that maintain it on the backside of each good record and the highest of each unhealthy one.

If Brett Favre loves Mississippi half as a lot as he says he does, he ought to use his affect to carry its leaders accountable and assist its most weak individuals. As a result of loving one thing and knowingly contributing to its struggling is the one debt you may’t repay.

For the newest on Mississippi’s welfare scandal, learn The Backchannel from investigative reporter Anna Wolfe and Mississippi Immediately. 

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